Chapter 134

The Twenty-Eighth Before there were bad things, so friendship was very useful.

“Did you… really swear your loyalty to her and become her knight?”

As if it was an illusion, Ash felt his arm being squeezed tighter than before.

Whoa—couldn’t tell, this little girl has quite a grip! She could probably crush an aluminum can by hand.

But I just have strength and jumping ability like a Showa-era rider, my body is still completely ordinary, please be gentle!

“I haven’t sworn my loyalty yet, but it’s true that I am her knight.”

After all, I didn’t use a walking stick, nor did anyone sing for me. As for the latter part, it only refers to my identity as a Kamen Rider, no other meaning.

“It’s hard to believe…Mana also did this, actually saying she truly wants to become friends with the enemy…”

Makoto, who initially came to Earth acting solo, was eventually swayed by Ai’s unwavering efforts and gave up her prejudices, choosing to fight alongside Ai Aida and the others as part of “Heartcatch Pretty Cure.” They became good friends.

正是因为 it was so hard-earned, Makoto sees this friendship with Ai as very precious.

So when Ai said she truly wanted to become friends with the enemy, Regina, Makoto felt betrayed by her friend, causing some tension between them after that.

By the way, Ai had also publicly said she wanted to be friends with Ash, but until now, Makoto doesn’t know whether Ash is an enemy or a good person, so it’s not considered in the girls’ consideration.

Now, with Ash serving as a catalyst, Makoto can no longer hold back and explodes with suppressed anger.

“Even though she is an enemy, Mana clearly saw the ruined Poker Kingdom, yet she still wants—”

To make friends with the daughter of the Selfish King.

I don’t understand what Ai is thinking at all.

I don’t get it, I don’t get it at all!

“Hey, Kanzaki, don’t you think you’re being a bit presumptuous?”

The voice came from next to Makoto, and after listening for a while, Ash began to express his thoughts.

Facing Makoto’s suspicious and angry expression, Ash continued to explain his skewed reasoning.

“You said yourself that the Selfish King destroyed the Poker Kingdom. Whether you want revenge or hate the Selfish Organization, it’s understandable, but isn’t that just your own stance?”

“What?”

Makoto furrowed her eyebrows. Instinctively, she felt this person was about to say something unpleasant.

No, Kanzaki Makoto, don’t listen! This person always says nonsensical things!

Even though she was inwardly suggesting self-distraction in her mind, Makoto couldn’t help but absorb what Ash said through her ears.

“As a citizen of the Poker Kingdom, the other three Pretty Cures are simply ordinary earthlings. In other words, although they are enemies of the Selfish King, they don’t have grudges like you do. Whether Ai wants to be friends with someone is her business.”

“Right, right!” Regina chimed in excitedly when she heard Ash’s words. After all, teasing this purple one always made her happy.

“You’re just a nuisance~ *spit*” Regina hid behind Ash, peeking out with her head, making faces and sticking out her tongue at Makoto.

“You—” Upon hearing Ash’s statement, Makoto immediately felt furious. But her eyes filled with anger dared not meet Ash’s, because she realized she couldn’t refute him.

Exactly, what he said is indeed true.

“Furthermore, you’ve only been friends with her for less than two months. Now you’re already criticizing her? Are you really that close? Besides, it’s not necessary for an earthling like her to save the Poker Kingdom, right?”

“You are putting her in danger, and you are being selfish, aren’t you? So I said you are being presumptuous.”

“No…I…I’m not!”

For the first time called selfish, Makoto was greatly affected, and her hands, which had been gripping Ash’s arm, suddenly released. Her face looked vulnerable, taking involuntary steps backward.

“I—我只是…!”

Ash’s words, like a venomous python, tightened around the girl, suffocating her with pressure.

I just wanted to find the princess, to defeat the Selfish King who destroyed my country, to save the Poker Kingdom. Aren’t Pretty Cures supposed to be heroes who save the world?

Why, why does everything seem to be my fault?

In her moments of self-doubt, she recalled what Ash previously said about her being “ineffective.”

Could it be, because I am ineffective, I cannot save the Poker Kingdom alone, so afraid that Mana becoming friends with Regina would mean she wouldn’t help me anymore, is that why I reacted so strongly?

Am… am I afraid of losing a friend?

Maybe I… did something wrong.

I only wanted Ai to help me…

Looking at the current state of Makoto, Ash found that he might have worsened the situation instead of easing it.

I intended to comfort her, but why did it turn even worse?

I was just reminding her to mind her own business, why does this seem so serious? Did I use the wrong words?

Just as Ash felt overwhelmed, he caught sight of a familiar approaching figure from the corner of his eye and stepped back, creating distance from Makoto.

Such work should be left to those who are good at it; he couldn’t handle this anymore.

“Stop bullying Makoto P!”

Accompanied by a genuine outburst from the young girl, Cure Heart descended from the sky, landing where Ash originally stood, stretching out her arms to shield Makoto.

Her determined eyes fixed on Ash, unyielding.

“Heart…. Mana!”

Seeing Aida Ai stand up for her made tears almost well up in Makoto’s eyes.

“Airi, it’s here!” Holding onto Ai-chan, Rikka and Arisu appeared closely behind as well, with Heartcatch Pretty Cure reuniting once more.

“Everyone… Why?”

“It was Ai-chan’s doing. Her sudden power appeared and guided us to find the troubled Makoto.”

Smiling, Arisu picked up Ai-chan, whose wings fluttered behind her, and Ai-chan followed happily, “Quip!”

“Because we are a team of Pretty Cures, we are friends.”

Rikka also smiled at Makoto, giving a thumbs up, conveying her support.

“Mister Ax, you bullied Makoto?!” Seeing through the situation instantly, Ai sternly scolded Ash.

“No, I shouldn’t say that.” He thought about mentioning the adventure Red and how it wasn’t his problem, but then realized calling out the precursor was too shameless. So he decided to admit it outright.

“Alright, it’s true that I bullied her.”

“Mister Ax, that’s really going too far, a high schooler or college student shouldn’t bully Makoto. Bullying girls for your own amusement is something only elementary school kids would do, we middle school students wouldn’t. Mister Ax is—”

Just as Ai was about to continue her lecture, she heard her name called from behind.

“Mana, I’m sorry!”

Hearing the sudden apology, Ai pointed at herself with confusion, her gold twin tails bending into an inquisitive shape. “Why is Makoto apologizing? Has she done something?”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have given you orders before.” Biting her lip, Makoto’s eyes turned reddish. “Deciding who you befriend is Ai’s personal matter. What I said to Ai was excessively harsh, I was being overly sentimental.”

“That’s right! It’s you—” Just about to add fuel to the fire, Regina noticed Ash turning towards her and gesturing for silence.

“What’s going on?”

“Shh, Princess, we just need to watch here.”

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun.

“No, it’s fine.”

Hearing Makoto’s apology, Ai shook her head seriously, refusing to accept it.

“This isn’t Makoto’s fault. She’s from the Poker Kingdom, so it makes sense that she wouldn’t accept Regina, the daughter of the Selfish King who destroyed their kingdom.”

“But, I said those things to Mana. I was just being temperamental….”

“No, it’s fine,” Ai reached out to wipe off the battle dust that had settled on Makoto’s face. “Although being scolded by Makoto made me feel awful, I was actually happy inside too!”

Being both sad and happy at the same time puzzled Makoto.

“Because, Makoto getting upset means she cares about me too. If she cares about me, I am naturally happy!”

Smiling calmly, Ai spoke sweetly in front of Makoto, at least to the point where even standing listener Rikka looked uncomfortable.

This remark had a significant effect on Makoto; her cheeks blushed slightly. Looking at the winking Ai, she couldn’t help holding onto Ai’s hand that was on her cheek.

“Mana!”

Calling her name out, she was filled with gratitude and emotion. At that moment, the emotions conveyed to her by Ai flooded her heart, dispelling earlier dejection and invigorating her with newfound energy.

“I’ll definitely help Makoto save the Poker Kingdom, because we are friends!”